Door guiding and retaining means for cylindrical receptacles



1956 F. A. GERLACH ET AL 2,768,531

DOOR GUIDING AND RETAINING MEANS FOR CYLINDRICAL RECEPTACLES Filed Oct. 19, 1955 INVENTOR. flank A. GF/Q'C/I y flank Ve/or/no Affo/w eye United States Patent O DOOR GU]])ING AND RETAINING MEANS FOR CYLINDRICAL RECEPTACLES Frank A. Gerlach, Cincinnati, and Frank Vetorino, Kenwood, Ohio, assignors to The American Laundry Machinery Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application October 19, 1955, Serial No. $141,352

Claims. (Cl. 160-206.)

The invention relates to improvements in doors for cylindrical containers and particularly in doors for rotatable cylinders such as are used for washing and/or cleaning fabrics.

An object of the invention is to provide positive holding means for the door both in the closed and in the open position.

Another object of the invention is to provide doorholding means which is releasable by the operator with a minimum of effort.

A further object of the invention is to provide guide track means for guiding and directing the path of movement of the door between fully open and fully closed positions so that such movement is most readily effected.

Other objects and advantages will subsequently appear, or will occur to those skilled in the art as the description proceeds.

The present inventive improvements are especially adaptable to a door such as is shown in U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,536,197 to Anthony Madonna, granted January 2, 1951. In said patent there is shown a door for a cylindrical washer, which comprises two curved sections, mutually hinged to each other, :one said section being likewise hinged along an edge to the cylinder. The first door section, namely the one hinged to the cylinder, swings inwardly, carrying with it, of course, the hinged edge of the second section, so that the sections approach overlapped contact somewhat after the fashion of the closing of a book, as will more fully appear hereinbelow. The non-hinged or free edge of the second section follows in a track provided adjacent the inner edge of the door opening, likewise as will appear.

In the prior art door structure as shown in the aforesaid Madonna patent, certain disadvantages developed during commercial use. For example the device for holding the door in open position was not positive, and sometimes in opening the door some heavy wet material was carried on the inwardly swinging edge of the opening door, where of the weight would tend to swing the door to closed position. In addition the track which guided the free moving door edge was of a contour requiring the operator to exert considerable effort to achieve the final increments of movement to fully open position. Further, the holding means for retaining the door was somewhat difficult to release.

As may be noted from the hereinabove recitation of objects of the present invention, and as will appear more fully hereinbelow, the said disadvantages have been avoided by means of the present invention, one embodiment of which is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 shows one of a multi-compartment cylindrical washer, the said end encompassing a complete compartment;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a greatly enlarged front view of door latching means as viewed from the line 33 in Fig. 2;

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Fig. 4 is a corresponding side view of the door latching means, taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a more or less diagrammatic end view of a so-called unloading washer showing the cylinder swung outwardly to unloading position.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, we show a work container 19, the cylindrical wall of which is provided with a multiplicity of perforate opening 11 to allow free access of cleaning liquid to the work carried in container 10. The cylindrical wall of the container is provided with a door opening 12 extending longitudinally substantially the full length of the work-holding compartment and approximately 60 degrees around the periphery, although its dimensions in both directions is a matter of choice, having in mind various factors including loading and unloading convenience.

Extending inwardly from the cylinder wall are longitudinal ribs 13, two such ribs 13a and 13b in the vicinity of open door position being somewhat reduced in size.

The door is of curved panel type, being formed in two sections 14 and 15. The first section 14 is hinged by an inside hinge to the cylinder wall along a longitudinal hinge axis 16. The second section 15 is hinged to the first section 1.4 along a longitudinal hinge axis 17, this last axis being determined by an outside hinge. Both said axes are parallel to the cylindrical axis of rotation of the drum. When in closed position the side edges of panels 14 and 15 lie in lapped contact with the inner surface of cylinder wall portions 18 and 19.

The bottom edge of panel 15 lies inside the cylinder wall along the lower edge of the opening, said wall being reinforced at this point by a flanged angle member 20 which acts as a longitudinal brace and defines the edge of the opening. On the inside, about level with said angle member 20 is a longitudinal pocket member 21, opening upwardly (Fig. 2) to receive the rolled bottom edge 15a of panel 15, and hold it firmlywhen the door is closed. When the door is in closed position the two sections constitute, in vertical section, an over-center toggle, as best noted in Fig. 2, and the depth of pocket member 21 permits a certain amount of into-pocket movement of the door edge as the toggle is broken by inwardly open-ing door movement.

The low ribs 13a and 13b heretofore referred to, provide additional cross bracing at top and bottom of the door opening, and the door panels are stiffened by corrugated battens 2, as shown in Fig. 1.

An inverted channel member 25 is attached, by spot welding or otherwise, along the inner face of door panel 14, near hinge axis 17. It serves as a brace, and also carries at each end a pivoted door retainer 26 which swings on a shaft or pin 2'7 journalled in bearings 28. These door retainers 26 have flat lip portions 26a which hook outwardly over the cylinder edge parts 18 and 19 to prevent inward collapse of the door to open position when the hinge 17 is near top center position during cylinder rotation. These levers 26 are biased, by a spring or otherwise, towards latching position, and the outer contours of the portions 26a are so shaped or bevelled that when the door is being swung outwardly to approach closed position, the bevelled faces of the two latches contact the cylinder wall edges so as to move the latch lips and permit them to snap outwardly past said wall edges, whereupon the latch bias causes the lips to engage the outer wall faces 18 and 19 as aforesaid. This position is shown in Fig. 2. The panel 14 has slots 29 through which the latch lips extend, and in releasing said latch lips to open the door the operator need only push the outer projecting portions 26a. The slots 29 provide a place for the operator to get a grip when closing the door. When the door sections are swung inwardly to fully open position, as in the broken line showing of Fig. 2, slots 32 and 33 in the lower panel register with the retainer levers to permit the doors to assume said broken line position. A sheet metal box 34 covers the retainer levers in door-open position,

The manner of retaining the door in open position will now be described.

The bottom or free edge of panel 15 is rolled over a rod 35 which extends outwardly beyond the door edges to provide follower portions 3511 which ride on guide tracks 36. Since the operation and structure at each edge is the same, only one such track and follower is shown and described, reference being had to Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The track is formed from angle stock riveted or otherwise attached to the compartment end wall 37. During door opening the follower 35a rides upwardly (Fig. 2) along track 36, and then slightly inwardly along a curved track portion 36a which is substantially concentric with the hinge axis 16, a feature commented on hereinafter. The track leg of the angle is cut away near its inner end, at 36c (Fig. 4) to accommodate a latch box or retainer housing 33 which is fastened to the other leg of the angle by screws 39. A latch 4th is pivoted in housing 38 on a pivot pin 4 It is biased towards latching position, as shown in Fig. 4, by means of a spring 42. A hooked finger 43 overlies the latch end to insure retention of the follower 3512 if the cylinder is swung so that the door opening moves below the position shown in Fig. 2. Outward movement of the latch is prevented by engagement of its projecting tip 443a with the under side of the track at the point where it resumes beyond the cut-out 36c. A latch is required at only one end of rod 35, although it could be supplied at both ends.

The latching operation to hold the door in full inward position will be evident from what has already been described. When the follower part 35a of rod 35 reaches the track cut-out portion 360, the follower begins to ride on latch 40. The latch is depressed and the follower 35a rides past it into the end space below finger 43, as shown in Fig. 4. As soon as the follower passes the latch end, the latch springs outwardly to retain the follower, and the door is positively retained in the open, broken-line position of Fig. 2. To release the latch the operator holds the bottom edge of the door with one hand, and presses down latch 49, allowing the door to slide downwardly by gravity, if the position is the normal door-open position of Fig. 2.

An additional advantage is evident in the unloading washer shown in Fig. 5. As there shown the cylinder 45 is swung outwardly beyond the confines of its housing support 46 to a position in which the door and track are in the lower front quadrant, 90 to their normal position, to facilitate downward unloading. A simple notched door retainer, such as shown in the Madonna patent heretofore referred to, could readily accidentally release the door for instance by impact of part of the load with the in-swung door, whereupon the door would tend to move toward closed position trapping or gripping some of the work being discharged.

The novel structure of the present invention may now be compared with the prior art structure of which the Madonna patent is representative. The present tracks were moved inwardly away from the peripheral cylinder wall so as to render more unlikely the wedging of articles between the track and the cylinder wall. In the Madonna structure the track is convex such that the folded door halves are swung rather sharply back about the upper hinge so that as the door panels swing to open position they are first pressed rather tightly together, and then they relax again towards the end position. This procedure makes door opening and closing more diificult.

The reversed curvature 36a of the present track structure greatly facilitates door movement. As heretofore indicated, it is substantially concave to the hinge axis 16. As the door panels begin to approach each other during jack-knifing of the door, the track followers 35a ride into this concentric track portion, greatly facilitating door opening, since operator effort is considerably reduced. Considering the complete door-opening operation, the lower panel is first caused to fold up and in, sufficiently to clear the load, and then the more inwardly inclined portion of the track begins to swing both door halves as a unit about the upper hinge while completing their approach movement towards each other. The movement is materially different from that permitted by the Madonna structure.

The structural elements hereinabove described provide more positive door locking in open and closed position, and also a novel track contour for facilitating door operation.

What we claim is:

l. Door guiding and retaining means for a rotatable cylindrical drum of the type having a door opening, said opening having top, bottom and side edges, and a door for said opening comprising an upper panel and a lower panel, the upper panel being hinged to the drum wall along the top edge of said opening to provide a first axis of swing, and the lower panel being hinged to the upper panel along a second axis of swing, both said axes being parallel to each other and to the axis of rotation of said drum, whereby to permit said panels to be swung inwardly on said first axis, and simultaneously into mutual overlap by movement of said lower panel around said second axis so as to clear said door opening for loading or unloading, and door guiding means for the free edge of said lower panel comprising a follower member on an end of said free edge, and a track member disposed to receive said follower in sliding contact therewith, said track member being fixed to lie adjacent the bottom edge of said opening at its lower end, and to extent upwardly and inwardly diverging away from the adjacent side edge of said door opening, a part of said track near its upper, inner end being disposed generally concave to said first axis of swing whereby to facilitate the inner increment of door movement.

2. Door guiding and retaining means as defined in claim 1, and wherein said lower panel is provided with a follower member on each of its lower edge corners, and wherein two track members are provided, one fixed along and adjacent each of the opposite side edges of said door opening, for respectively receiving one said follower member on each said track member.

3. Door retaining means for a rotatable cylindrical drum of the type having parallel end Walls, and a cylindrical peripheral wall to enclose therewith a work-holding chamber, a door opening in said peripheral wall defined by a top edge, a bottom edge, and a pair of side edges, said side edges being adjacent to said end walls, a door for said opening comprising a pair of panels, a first hinged connection between a first said panel and said top edge, a second hinged connection between the second said panel and the first said panel, the axes of swing of said hinged connections being parallel to each other and to the axis of rotation of said drum, said door when in closed position having side edge portions lying immediately adjacent to the respective side edges of said door opening, and catch means carried on one said door panel adjacent said second hinged connection and adapted to make retaining but releasable contact with an adjacent portion of the peripheral wall along a side edge of said door opening.

4. Door retaining means as defined in claim 3 wherein said catch means includes a lever rockably mounted on the door panel and having a curved lip disposed to snap outwardly around said side edge of said door opening.

5. Door retaining means as defined in claim 3 wherein said catch means includes two levers, each rockably mounted on a respective side edge of a door panel, each having a curved lip disposed to snap outwardly around the respectively adjacent side edge of said door opening.

6. Door retaining means as defined in claim 3 wherein said catch means comprises a lever biased outwardly to door retaining position, and having an inclined outer surface adapted to contact the adjacent edge of said opening and be cammed inwardly thereby, whereby to permit said catch means to pass outwardly to retaining position when said door is being closed.

7. Door guiding and retaining means for a rotatable cylindrical drum of the type having a door opening, and a door for said opening comprising a first panel hinged on said drum wall and a second panel hinged on said first panel, whereby, on movement of said door from closed to open position, said panels swing inwardly on said first hinged connection and simultaneously swing to mutual overlap on said second hinged connection, guiding means for the free edge of said second panel including a projecting follower carried adjacent said edge, and an inwardly extending track upon which said follower is disposed to ride during door movement, and means at the inner end of said track for holding said door upon arrival at door-open position including a movable latch member mounted adjacent the path of travel of said follower, and biased to snap behind said follower and prevent return movement thereof when said follower arrives at dooropen position.

8. Door retaining means as defined in claim 7 wherein said track is provided with a recess at its inner end, and wherein said latch member is provided with spring supporting means to cause said latch member to normally bridge said recess, but said spring supporting means being yieldable to permit depression of said latch into said recess when said follower moves to contact with said latch.

9. Door retaining means as defined in claim 8 wherein a track portion beyond said recess is provided with a reversely turned finger extending upwardly from said track portion and rearwardly towards said latch whereby to overhang said follower when in latched position, and to prevent accidental release thereof from behind said latch when said drum is turned over while the door is in open position.

10. Door retaining means as defined in claim 7 wherein a portion of said track is cut away near its inner end to provide a discontinuity with a track segment therebeyond, a depressed recess beneath said discontinuity, a latch member pivotally mounted for movement out of and into said recess, a spring in said recess supporting said latch but permitting depression of said latch into said recess to allow passage of said follower therebeyond and onto said segment, said spring biasing said latch outwardly to snap behind said follower and prevent return movement thereof, and a reversely turned finger fixed adjacent to said track segment and extending upwardly therefrom and rearwardly above said segment toward said latch whereby to overhang said follower when in latched position, and to prevent accidental release thereof when said drum is turned over while the door is in open position with the follower on said segment.

Madonna Jan. 2, 1951 Brotman Dec. 11, 1951 

